Electrostatic high-voltage generator

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to an electrostatic high-voltage generator in which an electrostatic charge is transported mechanically and is stored on a high-voltage electrode, and plural layers of charge carrier unit for carrying electrostatic charges, are stacked in a direction at right angles with the direction of carrying the charge, and there is provided between respective adjacent ones of those charge carrier units, a charge carrying transfer means for carrying an electric charge carried to the adjacent charge carrier unit. The apparatus can generate an ultra high-voltage and can be constructed economically into a small-sized one.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to an electrostatic high-voltage generatorwherein an electrostatic charge is transported mechanically and isaccumulated in a high-voltage electrode for obtaining a high-voltage.

BACKGROUND ART

As for an electrostatic high-voltage generator in which an electrostaticcharge is transported mechanically and accumulate in a high voltageelectrode for obtianing a high voltage, there has been known, forinstance, a pellet chain type high-voltage generator, a disc type highvoltage generator or the like.

A principle of the pellet chain type high voltage generator is suchthat, as shown in FIG. 4, a large number of conductive pellets 1 andinsulating members 2 are connected together alternatively and flexiblyto form a charge carrier unit 3 of a pellet chain, so that if the chargecarrier unit 3 is moved between a ground side pulley 4 and ahigh-voltage side pulley 5, and a negative voltage is applied to aground side inductor 6 from an electric source 7, a positive electriccharge is induced electrostatically to each conductive pellet 1, while anegative electric charge is repelled to escape to the ground side pulley4, and thus positive electric charge remains at each pellet 1 and iscarried from the low-voltage side pulley 4 towards a high voltageelectrode 8 and is accumulated therein to result in a high voltage.

In addition, similarly, a negative electric charge is given to eachpellet 1 of the charge carrier chain 3 from a high-voltage side inductor9 associated with the high-voltage electrode 8 and is carried to theground side pulley 4, and thus by reciprocating the charge carrier unit3 between the ground side pulley 4 and the high voltage side pulley 5,so that there can be carried doubled electric charges.

A principle of the disc type high-voltage generator is such that, asshown in FIG. 5, a charge carrier unit 3 is constructed into such a disktype one that conductive pellets 1 are disposed along on acircumferential edge of a rotary insulating disc 10, so that in thecourse of turning of the insulating disc 10, a positive electric chargeis given to each pellet 1 from a conductive pulley 12 of a ground sideinductor 11, and this positive electric charge carried by each pellet 1is received by a conductive pulley 14 of a high-voltage side inductor 13and is accumulated in a high-voltage electrode 8 to result in a highvoltage.

In addition, a negative electric charge is given to each pellet 1 from aconductive pulley 16 of another high-voltage side inductor 15 in thehigh-voltage electrode 8, and is received by a conductive pulley 18 of aground side inductor 17 provided on the ground side, and thus by oneround of the insulation disc 10 of the charge carrier unit 3 between theground side inductors 11 and 17, there can be carried doubled electriccharges.

The pellet chain type and the disc type high-voltage generators shownprincipally in FIGS. 4 and 5 are so arranged as to be accommodated inrespective containers each of which is filled with a SF₆ insulation gasof 7 kg/cm² in pressure, and the highest potential gradient in thedirection of carrying the charge is 2 Mv/m, in the SF₆ insulation gas ofthe pressure of 7 kg/cm². This highest potential gradient of 2 Mv/m isregulated by the shape, the size and the number of the disposedconductive pellets 1, the insulating resistance force of the insulatingmembers 2 and that of the insulation disc 10 in FIGS. 4 and 5.

Accordingly, in order to obtain a higher voltage in the pellet chaintype and the disc type high voltage generators, there is no means otherthan heightening the insulating gas pressure, elongating the distance inthe charge carrying direction of the chain or enlarging the diameter ofthe insulation disc in FIGS. 4 and 5.

However, in any of the types of high-voltage generators, the mechanismthereof are accommodated in the pressure container of the SF₆ insulatinggas in order to obtain a small-sized one as a whole, so that, if the gaspressure is heightened, the maintenance of the insulating gas and theconstructional design of the pressure container become difficult.

The increase in the carrying distance of the chain and the diameter ofthe insulating disc involves an increase in installation area, which isnot always considered as an economical design.

OBJECT OF INVENTION

An object of this invention is to provide an electrostatic high-voltagegenerator which can obtain a higher voltage and can be constructed intoa compact, small-sized generator without causing an increase ininstallation area as much as possible.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

In views of the fact that the highest potential gradient in the chargecarrying direction is 2 Mv/m in the SF₆ insulating gas of 7 kg/cm² inpressure but a potential gradient in a direction at right angles withthe direction of carrying the charge is 20 Mv/m; an electrostatichigh-voltage generator of this invention is characterized in that plurallayers of charge carriers units are stacked in a direction at rightangles with the charge carrying direction, and a charge carryingtransfer means is provided between respective adjacent ones of thecharge carrier units.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodying example of this inventionelectrostatic high-voltage generator,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another embodying example thereof,

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of further another embodying example of thesame,

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a conventional pellet chain typeelectrostatic high-voltage generator, and

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a conventional disc type electrostatic highvoltage generator.

BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

This invention will be expained with reference to embodying examplesthereof shown in FIGS. 1-3 as follows:

First, a principle of an electrostatic high-voltage generator accordingto this invention will be exaplained with reference toa disc type onethereof shown in FIG. 1.

Two disc type charge carrier units 20A, 20B are such that a large numberof conductivity pellets 22a, 22b are secured along on circumferentialedges of insulating discs 21A, 21B and are provided in a stack with aspace left there-between, on an insulating rotary shaft 25 connecteddirectly to a rotary shaft 24 of a driving motor 23 so as to be turnableat a predetermined speed by the driving motor 23.

Around the rotary insulating disc 21A of the charge carrier unit 20A ofthe first stage, there is arranged a ground side inductor 26 forcharging which comprises a conductive pulley 26a arranged to contact thepellets 22a thereto by turning of the insulating disc 21A and aninductor electrode 26b, a first inductor 27 for charge carrying transferwhich is provided at a predetermined interval from the foregoinginductor 26 and comprises a conductive pulley 27a arranged to contactthe pellets 22a and an inductor electrode 27b, a fourth inductor 28 forcharge carrying transfer which is provided at a predetermined intervalfrom the foregoing inductor 27 and comprises a conductive pulley 28aarranged to contact the pellets 22a and an inductor electrode 28b, and aground side conductive pulley 29 for current colelction provided at apredetermined interval from the foregoing inductor 28.

An upper portion of the charge carrier unit 20B of the second stage iscovered with a high-voltage electrode 30, and around the insulating disc21B thereof, there is arranged a third inductor 31 for charge carryingtransfer which comprises a conductive pulley 31a and an inductorelectrode 31b, a second inductor 32 for charge carrying transfer whichis provided at a predetermined interval from the foregoing inductor 31and comprises a conductive pulley 32a and an inductor electrode 32b, ahigh-voltage side inductor 33 for current collection which is providedat a predetermined interval from the foregoing inductor 32 and comprisesa conductive pulley 33a and an inductor electrode 33b, and an inductor34 for negative electric charge charging which comprises a conductivepulley 34a for charging a negative electric charge to the pellets 22band an inductor electrode 34b.

The conductive pulley 26a of the ground side inductor 26 for chargingprovided on the first stage charge carrying unit 20A is arranged to begiven a positive electric charge, and the inductor electrode 26b thereofis grounded. The conductive pulley 27a of the first inductor 27 forcharge carrying transfer is electrically connected to the inductorelectrode 27b, and the conductivity pulley 27a of this inductor 27 isconnected, through a conductor 35, to the conductive pulley 32a of thesecond inductor 32 for charge carrying transfer of the charge carryingunti 20B of the second stage. The inductor electrode 32b of the secondinductor 32 for charge carrying transfer is connected, through aconductor 36, to the inductor electrode 28b of the fourth inductor 28for charge carrying transfer.

Additionally, the conductive pulley 28a of the fourth inductor 28 forcharge carrying transfer is connected, through a conductor 37, to beconductive pulley 31a of the third inductor 31 for charge carryingtransfer. In addition, the conductive pulley 31a and the inductorelectrode 31b of the third inductor 31 for charge carrying transfer areconnected electrically one to another, and the conductive pulley 33a andthe inductor electrode 33b of the high voltage side inductor 33 forcurrent collection are interconnected together electrically. Theinductor electrode 34b of the inductor 34 for negative electric chargecharging is connected to the high-voltage electrode 30.

Thus, by the first, second, third and fourth inductors 27, 32, 31, 28for charge carrying transfer and the mutual connection relationshipbetween those, there is constructed such a charge carrying transfer unit50 between the charge carrying unit 20A of the first stage and thecharge carrying unit 20B of the second stage that is the characteristicsof this invention.

Next, an operational principle of the electrostatic highvoltagegenerator of this invention constructed as above will be explained asfollows:

Now, the charge carrier units 20A, 20B are rotated in the directionshown by an arrow Y by the driving motor 23, and thereby a positiveelectric charge is charged, from the conductive pulley 26a of the groundside inductor 26 for charging, to the conductive pellets 22a of theinsulating disc 21A of the first stage charge carrying unit 20A. Thispositive electric charge is carried by a procession of the pellets 22aand is completely received by the conductive pulley 27a of the firstinductor 27 for charge carrying transfer.

Since the pulley 27a and the inductor electrode 27b of the inductor 27are interconnected electrically, the collected positive electric chargesare passed through the conductor 35 and are transferred from theconductive pulley 32a of the second inductor 32 for charge carryingtransfer to the pellets 22b of the charge carrier unit 20B of the secondstage, and are accumulated in the high-voltage inductor 30 through theconductive pulley 33a of the high-voltage inductor 33.

Meanwhile, at the second inductor 32 for charge carrying transfer, anegative electric charge is induced electrostatically at the inductorelectrode 32b, while a positive electric charge is collected to theinductor electrode 28b of the fourth inductor 28 for charge carryingtransfer which is electrically connected through the conductor 36 to theforegoing inductor electrode 32b, and thus the two electrodes 32b, 28bare balanced one with another in respect of electric charges. Thisbalance phenomenon in respect of electric charges is convenient forcarrying a negative electric charge of the high-voltage side chargecarrier unit 20B of the second stage to the ground side first stagecharge carrier unit 20A.

Meanwhile, a negative electric charge is charged to a procession of thepellets 22b of the charge carrying unit 20B of the second stage from theconductive pulley 34a of the inductor 34 for negative electric chargecharging provided on the high-voltage electrode 30. This negativeelectric charge is received by the conductive pulley 31a of the thirdinductor 31 for charging carrying transfer, when each pellet is passedthrough the inductor 31 in accordance with the tunring of the insulatingdisc 21B. This negative electric charge is transferred, through theconductor 37, from the conductive pulley 28a of the fourth inductor 28for charge carrying transfer to the pellets 22a of the insulating disc21A. The negative electric charges of this procession of pellets 22a arecollected at the ground side conductive pulley 29 for current collectionaccording to the turning of the insulatiing disc 21A.

Thus, there is obtained, at the high-voltage electrode 30 provided abovethe charge carrying unit 20B of the second stage, a double voltage 2Ewhich is double as high as the high voltage E obtained at each of thecharge carrier units 20A, 20B. If any desired number of the insulationdiscs of the charge carrying units are stacked in layers, a high voltageof twice, three times and so on can be generated in proportion to thenumber of the layers.

Additionally, in FIG. 1, the positive electric charges of the pellets22a between the inductors 26, 27 of the charge carrier unit 20A of thefirst stage and the negative electric charges of the pellets 22b betweenthe inductors 34, 31 of the charge carrier unit 20B of the second stageare opposite one to another, and a row of the negative electric chargesbetween the inductors 28, 29 of the charge carrying unit 20A of thefirst stage and a row of the positive electric charges betwen theinductors 32, 33 of the charge carrying unit 20B of the second stage areopposite one to another, so that the two units 20A, 20B are balanced onewith another electrostatically, and there is not generated any load onthe driving motor 23, and the two units 20A, 20B are driven stably andthe electric charges can be carried with a high efficiency.

In an embodying example shown in FIG. 2, three stages of charge carrierunits 20A, 20B, 20C are put one upon another in a stack so as togenerate a threefold high-voltage.

A first charge carrying transfer unit 50A is provided between the chargecarrying unit 20A of the first stge and the charge carrying unit 20B ofthe second stage, and a second charge carrying transfer unit 50B isproivided between the charge carrying unit 20B of the second stage andthe charge carrying unit 20C of the third stage.

A positive electric charge given to the conductive pellet 22a of a firststage insulating disc 21A from a ground side inductor 26 for charging istrnasferred, in conjunction with turning of the insulating disc 21A,through the first charge carrying transfer unit 50A, to conductivepellets 22b of a second stage insulating disc 21B. Further, thispositive electric charge is transferred,in conjunction with turning ofthe second dtage insulating disc 21B, through second charge carryingtransfer unit 50B to conductive pellet 22c of the third insulating disc21C, and is finally collected at a high-voltage side inductor 33 forbeing tored in a high-voltage electrode 30. The voltage of thishigh-voltage electrode 30 is three times as high as the voltage of asingle charge carrier unit.

If, in FIG. 2, the intensity of electric field along on the chargecarrying path of each of the respective charge carrier units 20A, 20B,20C is assumed to be E_(//), a practical value of this intensity ofelectric field E_(//) is below 20 Mv/m. If each of respective potentialgradients generated between the charge carrying unit 20C of the thirdstage and charge carrying unit 20B of the second stage, and between thecharge carrying unit 20B of the second stage and the charge carryingunit 20A of the first stage is assumed to be E₁, a value of thepotential gradient E₁ can be made above 20 Mv/m. This potential gradientE₁ secures a withstanding voltage of above 10 times as much as theintensity of electric field intensity E₁₁, and this is an importantcharacteristic point of this invention for realizing an ultra highpotential gradient generator.

In another embodying example shown in FIG. 3, respective charge carrierunits 20A, 20B, 20C are formed into pellet chain type ones comprisingpulleys 51a, 51a', 51b, 51b' and 51c, 51c', and pellet chains 52a, 52band 52c arranged to be moved in the directions shown by arrows Y.

Also in this pellet chain type electrostatic high-voltage generator, ifa positive electric charge is given to pellets of the pellet chain 52aof the first stage from a ground side inductor 26, the same istransferred to the pellet of the pellet chain 52b of the second stagethrough a first charge carrying transfer unit 50A, and is furthertransferred to the pellet chain 52C of the third stagethrough a secondcharge carrying transfer unit 50B, and is finally stored in a highvoltage electrode 30 for obtaining a high-voltage. The voltage if thishigh-voltage electrode 30 is three times as high as the voltage obtainedby a single charge carrier unit.

Also in the case of the pellet chain type one of FIG. 3, the relationbetween the intensity of electric field E_(//) along on the chargecarrying path and the potential gradient E₁ in the direction at rightangles with the charge carrying path is entirely equal to that in thecase of the disc type one of FIG. 2. Additionally, in FIGS. 2 and 3,there has been shown only the manner of transporting of the positiveelectric charges, but there can be obtained a double electric current bygiving negative electric charge in a returning direction of each of thecharge carrying units 20A, 20B, 20C, as shown in FIG. 1.

Though a concrete construction is not illustrated, a mechanism includingthe charge carrier units shown in any of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 isaccommodated in a container filled with a SF₆ insulating gas, so thatthe same may be constructed into a compact electrostatic high-voltagegenerator by the gas insulated construction. Additionally, it ispossible to transfer the electric charges stably by connecting aresistance to the middle portion of each of the conductors 35, 36, 37for interconnecting between the charge carrying transfer inductors asshown in FIG. 1 and thereby each circuit is increased in weight.

EFFECT OF INVENTION

Thus, accoridng to this invention, plural layers of charge carrier unitsare stacked in a direction at right angles with the direction ofcarrying the charge, and there is provided, between respective adjacentones of those charge carrier units, a charge carrying transfer unit fortransfer the electric charge carried in one unit to the adjacent unit,so that there can be obtained an ultra high-voltagee type electrostatichigh-voltage generator fully utilizing that the highest potentialgradient in the direction of stacking of those units is above 20 Mv/m,and additionally a volume in the direction of stacked units isincreased, but the installation area is not especially increased, sothat the whole thereof can be constructed economically into asmall-sized one.

I claim:
 1. an electrostatic high-voltage generator in which anelectrostatic charge is transported mechanically and is stored on ahigh-voltage electrode, comprising: a plurality of charge carrier units(20A, 20B), each of said charge carrier units having a continuouslymoving peripheral edge and a plurality of conductive pellets secured tosaid peripheral edge, said plurality of charge carrier units beingspaced from one another and arranged in a direction at right angles tothe direction of movement of said peripheral edges of said carrier unitsto provide a stack of said charged carrier units a first one (20A) ofsaid plurality of charge carrier units in said stack having aground-side inductor (26) for positive charging of said conductivepellets to carry a positive electric charge thereon and with aground-side collector electrode (29) collecting a negative electriccharge from said conductive pellets carrying a negative electric charge,a lst one (20B) of said plurality of charge carrier units in said stackhaving an inductor (34) with an electrode connected to a high-voltageelectrode for negative charging of said conductive pellets to carry anegative electric charge thereon and having a high-voltage sidecollector inductor (33) which collects a positive electric charge fromconductive pellets carrying a positive electric charge thereon andcarries said positive electric charge to said high-voltage electrode,and a charge carrying transfer unit (50) for transferring electriccharges from electrically charged pellets on one of said charge carrierunits (20A) (20B) to the conductive pellets of an adjacent chargecarrier unit and for transferring electric charges of opposite polarityfrom said adjacent charge carrier unit to said one of said chargecarrier units whereby a procession of said pellets during less than onehalf the movement of said peripheral edge of each carrier unit carries apositive electric charge and said plurality of pellets during less thanthe remaining one half of the movement of said peripheral edge carries anegative electric charge, said positive and negative charges carried bysaid peripheral processions of said pellets are transported from onecharge carrier unit to an adjacent charge carrier unit and saidpositively charged procession of said pellets of said one charge carrierunit is maintained opposite said negatively charged procession ofpellets of said adjacent charge carrier unit.
 2. An electrostatichigh-voltage generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the chargecarrying transfer unit comprises a first inductor for receiving apositive electric charge carried by said conductive pellets of said onesaid charge carrier units, a second inductor which is electricallyconnected tothe first inductor and serves to give the positive electriccharge received thereby to conductive pellets of said adjacent chargecarrier unit, a third inductor for receiving a negative electric chargecarried by conductive pellets of the charge carrier unit, and a fourthinductor which is electrically connected to the third inductor andarranged to give a negative electric charge received thereby to theconductive pellets of said one charge carrier unit.
 3. An electrostatichigh-voltage generator as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first,second, third and fourth inductors constituting said charge carryingtransfer unit are respectively composed of conductive pulleys arrangedto contact conductive pellets of respective ones of said carrier unitsand respective inductor electrodes facing the respective conductivepulleys through the condcutive pellets, and the first and thirdinductors are so arranged that the conductive pulleys and the inductorelectrodes are electrically connected together, and the conductivepulleys of the first and second inductors are electrically connectedtogether, and the conductive pulleys of the third and fourth inductorsare electrically connected together, and the inductor electrodes of thesecond and fourth inductors are electrically connected together.
 4. Anelectrostatic high-voltage generator as in any of claims 2, 3 or 1, inwhich each charge carrier unit is a pellet chain type charge carrierunit.
 5. An electrostatic high-voltage generator as in any of claims 2,3 or 1, in which each charge carrier unit is a disc type charge carrierunit.